Board of Directors

Elizabeth Parsons

Chair/Special Events

Elizabeth is a seasoned creative professional with experience in journalism, marketing, P.R., non-profit management, creative writing and more. Over the course of her career, Elizabeth has launched new magazines and edited longstanding ones, coordinated high profile events for the Grammy organization among others, and helped to create maternal/child health programs in East Africa. Elizabeth holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Hollins U., a B.A. in Anthropology from Mary Washington U. and a certification in non-profit leadership from Georgetown U. She’s passionate about social justice, the arts, globetrotting, salsa verde, and lots of other stuff.

Jason Layman

Vice Chair/Volunteer Coordinator

Jason received his Master’s in Psychology (early child and adolescent development) from Marshall U., Bachelor’s degree from Concord U., an Associates degree in Social Work from Bluefield College and an Associate's in Nursing from Bluefield State College. Jason served in the Navy from 1995-2003. As a member of the board, Jason plans to create a bridge between the RDC and the LGBTQ+ veterans to give a safe place to express themselves.

Daniel Ceglowski

Treasurer

Dan is employed in the administration of a Roanoke human services agency. In addition to being a veteran of the armed forces, Dan is currently working towards completing is B.B.A. in Finance. He looks to utilize his non-profit sector experience and business acumen to further the RDC's mission, and to better the community as a whole.

Georgia Gallaher

Secretary

Georgia offers years of experience with local non-profit's and is very active in the MCC Blue Ridge Choir. She lives in SouthEast Roanoke and is a dedicated ally within the LGBT community.

Hayden Cometa

Member At Large

Originally from Ocean County New Jersey, Hayden moved to Roanoke in 2006. Hayden has volunteered at the Roanoke Diversity Center since 2013 and has since been a counselor at Diversity Camp. Hayden identifies as nonbinary (neutrois) and is currently engaged to a female partner scheduled to be married in 2018. Some issues that are important to Hayden are sociopolitical change, supporting local businesses and working extensively with the special needs community. Hayden's ultimate goal is to make sure others in the LGBT community feel they have a safe space in which they can be loved and supported. In their spare time, Hayden is an amateur musician, artist (of all types) and martial arts enthusiast.

Nathaniel Brandetsas

Member at Large/Speakers Bureau

Nathaniel is a helping professional with a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Throughout his academic career, Nathaniel has supported the LGBT community at large as an ally and speaker, where he has educated other professionals through raising awareness of current problems of discrimination, marginalization, and oppression in care settings. Nathaniel has been published in the RoanokeGayzette and has served the broader community as an HIV tester at the Drop-In Center, and was instrumental in the development of their 2016 Ryan White community needs assessment survey. Additionally, he has designed and conducted several original research projects with the local transgender and gender variant community and incorporated those efforts into his work as an advocate and educator. As a member of the board, Nathaniel’s macro-level social work skills and talents are being applied to the RDC’s mission through his continued work as a researcher in partnership with Radford University.

Linny Caldwell

Open Hours Manager/Member At Large

Linny's professional career has revolved around the helping profession all her life - formally (trained as a marriage child family therapist/social worker) and informally (as a wild free spirited hippie flower child of the 60's). Her pronouns are she/her but at this time in her life that's about the only thing remotely "straight" about her as a cis female. She identifies proudly and boldly as queer - coming late in life to this awesome freedom of fully embracing her true sexual and spiritual self as God's beloved. Linny is a single parent who loves 3 beautiful children who were born in the womb of her heart through foster care and adoption. While being a mom is her greatest joy, and all her children have changed her life significantly, her middle son has opened up the world of autism for her. Because of loving him she proudly advocates for truth and justice, not only for the LGBTQ+ community, but the dis-Ability community as well. Since coming to the RDC through Diversity Camp, Linny says her world has been rocked by meeting all the many courageous people of all ages and gender identities and orientations who teach her all the time what it truly means to be TOGETHER in this beautiful rainbow we call family.

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All references to the LGBT community on this website are meant to be inclusive to ALL: LGBTQQIAA2P….(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Ally-heterosexual/straight, 2-Spirit, and Pansexual.) The Roanoke Diversity Center is a 501.c.3 non-profit organization committed to supporting and empowering our Roanoke local and regional LGBT community and beyond.